


red string

by vampiresuffrage



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: M/M, oh also theres like. a couple small mentions of sex, theyre just 2 old on again off again bastard husbands okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 15:34:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18831538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampiresuffrage/pseuds/vampiresuffrage
Summary: Peter and Elias couldn't stand each other. Peter and Elias were also in love with each other. Elias even loved Peter more than he hated him most days, pesky loneliness and all.Or: Peter and Elias have stopped counting the number of times they've married each other. Maybe one day it'll stick.





	red string

**Author's Note:**

> i Hate that im so invested in these old Bastards GOD

“I want a divorce,” Elias said, tightening his tie. 

“Oh?” Peter sat halfway up in their bed, propped up on his elbow. “What is it this time?”

Elias rolled his eyes. “Take a guess.”

Peter hummed. “Spousal neglect again?”

“I said I would leave you if you missed our dinner reservation last week, and you know I don't lie to you.”

“Sure, sure.” Peter got out of bed and dressed quickly. “I'll do better next time around, love.”

“And what makes you think there'll be a next time?” Elias crossed his arms, stared unflinchingly at Peter. 

Peter grabbed his face, kissed him softly enough that Elias felt his resolve weaken for just a moment. “There's always a next time.”

And Elias remembered just why he wanted this divorce. Peter was insufferable. 

“I'll go by the courthouse now, I should have the papers when you get home from work. Have a good day, Elias. Love you.”

He kissed Elias once more, and then he disappeared. Elias clenched his jaw, doing his level best not to feel too lonely. Then Peter would win. He steeled his resolve, finished getting ready for work, and definitely did _not_ think about how that was the first time Peter had told Elias he loved him in weeks. Peter wouldn't win this time. 

The papers were lying on his bed when he got home, Peter nowhere to be found. The bed felt too big that night. At least Peter left him enough money to afford any distraction his heart desired, and as far as Elias was concerned, he deserved that small fortune if nothing else.

Two months passed before Peter showed up again, and Elias was sure it was no coincidence that it happened exactly when Elias had started to feel alright without him. Still, knowing why Peter showed up when he did didn't stop Elias from taking Peter home that night. And the next. And the next. 

Weeks later, after Peter stopped leaving before Elias woke up in the morning, he was all but completely moved in again. 

It felt like Peter was bribing him with all the wine and new suits and five-star dinners every night they were both home. Elias didn't quite care though. He let himself be plied with gifts, let Peter spend a small fortune on him and show him off everywhere they went, and it was almost enough to make up for the fact that Peter slept with his back to Elias most nights and almost never kissed him first outside of sex. Almost enough that Elias didn't care that he'd started to feel alone again. 

He knew it was just Peter serving the Lonely, that every twinge of loneliness Elias felt brought Peter no small amount of satisfaction. Elias could respect that, knew exactly what it felt like to serve a god and satisfy it. He couldn't fault Peter for it, but that didn't make it any less frustrating. 

He still said yes when Peter proposed four months after they started seeing each other again. The gifts, the promise of a warm bed at night, the mocking arguments, the way Peter smiled when he said “I love you,” all made it worth occasional bouts of loneliness. 

Peter smiled when Elias said yes, halfway smug. “I told you there'd be a next time.”

Elias kissed him to shut him up. “It’s not too late for me to change my mind, you prick.”

So he said yes, and Peter paid for another grand wedding without a single guest. Peter's family attended the reception, of course, but the ceremony was just the two of them, the man Peter had found to marry them, and a photographer as their witness. Elias made sure there were plenty of pictures every time they'd done this. 

The reception was beautiful, and nobody in Peter’s family paid them any attention during their first dance. Par for the course. Elias had never been to a party quieter than parties attended by the Lukas family, and weddings were no exception. So he and Peter danced the night away, Peter occasionally taking some time to greet his guests coolly and without smiling as they congratulated him in the same tone without ever acknowledging Elias. 

They had a resort honeymoon, a week long. Peter left to get breakfast on the second morning and wasn't back until the fifth. Elias didn't speak to him again for the rest of the honeymoon, as if Peter didn't delight in the silent treatment. Didn't speak to him on the flight home either. He did still follow Peter into the bathroom halfway through the flight when Peter gave him _that_ look. 

When they got home, there was a trail of flowers leading to their bedroom and a bottle of Elias’ favorite wine on the bed. Elias did his best to keep any expression off his face. 

“Am I forgiven?” Peter asked, wrapping his arms around Elias’ waist. 

“No.”

Elias pried himself free of Peter and walked over to the bed. He sat and opened his wine, taking a swig from the bottle. Peter stood in the doorway, staring at him with raised eyebrows. 

“Are you coming or not?” Elias asked, gesturing to the spot next to him. 

Peter laughed and did as he was asked. “Thought I wasn't forgiven?”

“You aren't. I'm still pissed at you, you bastard. It's our first night home after the wedding though. I _believe_ we still need to christen the bed.”

He set the wine on the bedside table and pulled Peter closer. Peter didn't object. 

As Peter kissed him, held him, reminded him just why he'd missed him so much, Elias wondered if this would be the time it stuck.

(Spoiler alert: It wasn't. Elias divorced him again eight months later. Peter disappeared on another fishing trip for a month, Elias got the papers drawn up while he was gone, and when Peter asked, Elias told him it was because Peter never did the dishes. He hadn't missed a preplanned dinner that time around, as promised. Maybe complaining about the dishes would make Peter start doing them the next time around. Elias no longer tried to tell himself there wouldn’t be a next time, not when Peter kissing him goodbye felt like such a clear promise of more. He refused to give Peter the satisfaction of admitting that though.)

**Author's Note:**

> catch me on tumblr @lesbianweb


End file.
